3 Ladies and 3 Shopping Spree's!

This past Thanksgiving weekend, Kristie, Jackie and Myself did a little hop, skip, and a jump in a small plane to the big island of Guam. A much needed little mini vacation for the ladies! All of us were so ready! We arrived on Guam Friday morning around 8:30 AM and by 9:00 AM we were in Ross shopping, mind you, it was black Friday too! Literally all day Friday we shopped, with a lunch break at Wendy's (Oh- how I miss Wendy's). 

We even hit of Motherhood Maternity, where 99% of my shopping money was spent in 2 or less hours. However, it was really fun. I think Jackie and Kristie had just as much fun as I did.... for me it was getting clothes that fit again, for now that is; and for them it was trying on maternity clothes with the little pregnant pillows they have for their customer's to try on. I was in the dressing room and kept hearing giggling, and this is what I found when I came out... 

They were certainly having some fun, and made it a really fun shopping trip! They were great shoppers too, finding me clothes that were cute, comfy and cool. And I must say when their time comes both Kristie and Jackie will make pretty cute pregnant mama's! 

Here we all are trying on the clothes with the baby bumps.... My real one is growing quite rapidly... so maybe this is what I will look like in 3 months or so =) Hopefully not so pillowish though. 

Well After shopping from 9:00 AM to about 8:00 AM on Friday, my money was spent, but was all worth it. Saturday was window shopping =) 

Maternity clothes ( THANKS MOM!) , needed personal items that are expensive to get on island, and even some treats for coconut from Grandma and Grandpa Sawyer! Overall it was the weekend we were all hoping for, minus the rain that came down for 24 hours a day all three days we were there until about an hour before our flight back to Saipan =). 

So Long Wendy's, Macy's, Cold Stone, Ross, Motherhood Maternity, and K-mart! I will see you all this summer when back in Washington! Thanks for being good to me on my shopping spree! 

ALOT to be THANKFUL for...

Mark and I certainly have a lot to be thankful for... family both near and far, close friends, a little one on the way, great jobs, each other, yummy food, health, and Jesus' gift of life both here on earth and in heaven. 

It seems that every year when Thanksgiving comes around, we tell ourselves what we are thankful for, but alot of the time, I catch myself complaining about one thing or the other. But either way, I am so very thankful for the Life Christ has given me, I have been blessed beyond my dreams. 

For Thanksgiving this year, we were able to celebrate twice! Once on Monday night with our Home group (I forgot my camera at home) and then again on Thanksgiving with some of our church family! The Winkfields were generous hosts in opening their home to 30+ people! It was certainly a feast! 

Games after dinner! 
Marko enjoying his pile of food, Our tummy's were certainly hurting at the end of this meal. 
Jen, Shea, and I at the kiddo's table. 
Debbie Winkfield one of our wonderful hosts, and kristina. Kristina is Due at the end of January with her first, and it is a little boy! It has been really fun having a friend on island who is also expecting! 
Enjoying the festivities outside! 
Tami and Jeremy Winkfield! Tami is The Winkfield's middle daughter, and Jeremy is the youngest of all the Winkfield kid's! He was home visiting from Hawaii! 

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! And may God bless you this upcoming Holiday Season! 

15 Down, Roughly 25 Weeks To Go...

We can not believe how fast the last 8 weeks have gone. We found our we were expecting a little one at 7 weeks along, and now here we are 8 weeks later, 15 weeks along. Time has certainly flown by, which is both very exciting and a little be overwhelming.

For about the last two weeks, I have been feeling much better. I gladly welcome the 2nd trimester! It has certainly been good to me. I have not had as much morning sickness, I really haven't had any, until the last two days, but it doesn't last long, and for that I am very thankful. I also have been able to make it most of the days without a nap, and am going to bed a little later now, 9:15! Running to the bathroom, and constant hunger pains though, have not subsided, but I can live with those =)

As time is getting closer, though when I talk about it, it feels like years away. There is so much to do, discover and decide. We have our 16 week appointment next Tuesday, and we are eager to hear how our little coconut is doing. We are praying for a healthy update. We also, we hopefully (crossing our fingers) with in the next month, get to find out whether our little one will be a boy or a girl! Mark and I both have dreamed of a little boy, but we are both getting the gut feeling it is a girl..... Either way, just healthy and I will be happy!

We recently have started looking at different things we will soon need to be purchasing, car seat, clothing, diapers, pacifiers, etc.... and it is exciting and scary all at the same time. This weekend, the day after Thanksgiving, I will be headed to Guam with a few friends for shopping, and am excited to pick out some cute maternity clothes, and baby gear... Thanks to Grandma Judy, Grandpa Garry, Grandma Betty, and Grandpa John!

Mark has been an amazing daddy/hubby throughout the pregnancy thus far, doing extra chores around the house that I would usually do, making sure I am not over doing it, and recently, which warms my heart the most, is at night when we are in bed and about ready to shut the lights off, he comes over to my belly (that doesnt seem to be any bigger, until I look in pictures) lifts up my shirt, kisses it, talks to our little one, and is reading the Max Lucado Children's treasury book to it. Listening to him read it, in such a kinda and gentle voice, just makes me melt. I can not wait to see Mark as a daddy, holding his little one, and reading to it! Only 5 or so months to go.

We love you little Coconut!

A True Honor...

In Honor of tomorrow's Big Game, Mark and I wanted to send our Vandal Love and Support to Boise, Idaho. Vandal's we know you will play with heart, soul, and Vandal spirit. Win or Loose we will always be tride and true to you! GO VANDALS!
Our Engagment Picture, November 2006 (Like the sweatshirts?)

Q: Why do Bronco Fans leave their diploma's in the dashboards of their car?

A: So they are able to park in handicap spaces.

Did you hear about the Bronco fan who was so upset that the Vandals beat Boise State that he tried to commit suicide by jumping out of his basement window?

Q: Where was O.J. hiding right before the famous white Bronco chase?
A: On the Boise State University campus. That's the last place you would find a football player.

Q: How do you make Boise State University cookies?
A: Put them in a big Bowl and beat for 3 hours.

Q: What's the difference between a Boise State fan and a carp?
A: One is a bottom-feeding, scum sucker, and the other is a fish.

Boise News Report: Football practice in Boise was delayed on Monday for nearly two hours. One of the offensive players, while on his way to the locker room, happened to look down and notice a suspicious looking, unknown, white powdery substance on the practice field. The head coach, Chris Petersen, immediately suspended practice while the FBI was called in to investigate. After a complete field analysis, the FBI determined that the white substance unknown to the players was the goal line. Practice was resumed when the FBI decided that the team would not be likely to encounter the substance again.

It was reported that Boise State head football coach Chris Petersen will only be dressing twenty players for the Idaho game. The rest of the players will have to get dressed by themselves.

Q: How do you get a Boise State University grad off of your front porch?
A: Pay him for the pizza.

GO VANDALS, GO MIGHTY VANDALS, COME ON AND GO VANDALS GO, FIGHT ON WITH HEARTS BRAVE AND BOLD!

So Close to the End... of the First Trimester that is...

I am officially 12 weeks and 5 days along!

Our little one is roughly about the size of a fresh plum (2 1/2 inches from rump to crown), and growing rapidly!

Yesterday we had the biggest appointment thus far, and it truely put my heart and mind at ease... for now. Yesterday after school Mark picked me up from work and we headed to the doctor's. When we arrived in the exam room, I thought we would be doing another physical, etc. But nope, we simply sat back, relaxed anxiously, and waited, and waited, and waited to hear the heart beat. Our little one is already ornery... Coconut was hiding way in the back about it took about 10 min. for our Doctor to find that rapidly beating heart beat... But she didn't give up... and when she did find it, it was absolutly amazing! We were able to listen to it for abotu 5 minutes, and what an experience, it truely made it a realization that there is something in there. =)

My body has slowly been getting back to "normal." I do not have morning sickness as much, but it does like to sneak up on me quite quickly... I am beginning to slow down on the eating, and gaining a little more energy.... But still pretty tired... and recently my tummy hasn't been as large, which I am guessing because I haven't been a bloated =).

The picture above was taken on a bloated day, and after two slices of pizza, so take this with a grain of salt... My doctor said at the next appointment, which is Dec. 2, she should be seeing alittle pouch....

Yesterday, to make the day even more real, we recieved our first baby gift, from Coconut's Auntie Kara.... It was a wonderful treat for the day! Diapers, pacifiers, burp clothes, feeding blankets, a rattle, and a beautiful Vera Bradley Diaper Bag (maybe if our wee one is a girl, we can get her hooked early to a Kappa Delta "must have.") hehe. Thank You Auntie Kara! Your beautiful gift could not have come on a better day!

Thanksgiving is coming up! And we are pretty excited for the wonderful meal with our island family! Also- the day after Thanksgiving, my friends Jackie and Kristie and I are headed to Guam for a 2 day girls shopping trip.... Which means my goal is to find summer maternity clothes at cheap cheap prices =) But I am excited to get off our little island, head to a bigger island, and feel a little bit more Americanized! Chilies we are headed to you for dinner! Ohhhhh and dont forget Wendy's, Macy's, Ross, yes... I am ready and soooooo excited!

While I am away, Mark and Jake (Jackie's hubby) are hoping to head to our neighboring island, Tinian to do a 2 day trip of biking and camping. Tinian is much small then Saipan, but has some great War history, for instance it is where the Anolagay too off... the atomic bomb... It will be good for all of us to have a girly-girl and manly-man weekend!

It certainly isn't getting any cooler like it is back home. Mark just checked the temp. currently for Spokane and it said 38 degree's... Oh how I long for that! I know, i should be loving this heat... but it dosen't make for a very festive fall or Christmas, BUT, thanks to all of our wonderful friends who sent us care packages this year and last, our house is looking quite like fall on the inside =)

We love you all and miss you very much! We are counting down the days until our little one is here, and then adding roughly 40 days until we can stand on the soil of the beautiful Northwest! We can't wait to be home! BUT FIRST, Australia for Christmas with Aunt Betty! We can't wait!

Love,

M, B, and Coconut.